"The greatest use of life is to spend it on something that outlasts it."

At Submerge we believe in exposing students to a variety of social projects. By working with different leaders and organizations, you learn that not all ministry has to look alike, but that we can all use our different skills and passions to make a difference in the world while sharing the hope of Christ. As part of Submerge you will work in service initiatives that range from inspirational art campaigns to youth mentoring in a local juvenile center. Service projects not only allow you to know that your time in Ecuador has made an impact on others but it also gives you an outlet to apply all that you are learning in your classes.

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featured service opportunities

CREATIVE CAMPAIGNS: We believe that sharing our faith shouldn’t be religious, but should be part of a natural dialogue. Our creative campaigns provide a visual centerpiece though which we can enter into real conversations. It is our aim to empower you with tools that will allow you to demonstrate the Love of God in an approachable, normal, and yes--even cool way. Every week you will come together with your team to dream about creative ways to reach our city. Together, we will create and implement these outreaches and creative campaigns. CLICK HEREto see some of our past campaigns.

TRAFFICKED CHILDREN (Carpa Loca): One of the areas of emphasis for Submerge will be in Quito’s nightlife district where you will work directly with the many street children who are trafficked each weekend from surrounding villages. Many of these children are forced to sell items on the streets, steal, or are sold as sex-slaves. These children are forced to work late into the night trying to meet quotas for their traffickers. Most are sold by their families for the weekend for around $10. In response, Submerge holds a weekly children’s program called Carpa Loca (“Crazy Tent”), a high-energy program designed to teach the children important, life-changing values. You and your team will plan and implement these weekly programs and bring hope to these special children.

CHURCH PLANTING: (ONE UIO) As a ministry, we do approximately seven outreaches a week in some of the roughest parts of the city. We’ve found that often the people that we encounter don’t feel like they “fit in” within traditional churches. It is with this in mind that we launched a church plant here in Quito, ONE UIO.

ONE UIO may not look or feel like a typical church from the outside, but each service proudly proclaims the transformative message of Christ. The church has been meeting in a popular music venue called House of Rock. Each week we give people a new reason to come to the House of Rock--to have an encounter with the living God. The ONE team is intricately involved in planning and carrying out each of the weekly church services. As a part of ONE UIO, you will contribute to the community through the relationships you form.

SOCIAL: Many of the weekly outreaches that take place are through third-party organizations that we partner with here in Quito. In our social projects we develop new relationships as well as organize and plan all of the outreaches. If you enjoy diving into a variety of different activities then this is the committee for you. Some of the areas of focus are food ministry to the poor and weekly ministry in a Juvenile detention center.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: In addition to the activities listed above, the Submerge program has additional space provided for you in your weekly schedule to foster relationships with local Ecuadorians. We believe that, to gain the full experience of living in another culture, you must get outside of your American bubble and cultivate friendships with local people. Every week you will have time provided for you in the schedule to do just that. Whether you grab a latte with a friend at one of Quito's beautiful cafes, or play the locals in a game of Ecua-voley, the friendships you build while you live here will impact the rest of your life.

GO ON YOUR OWN: One of the objectives of the Submerge program is to give you the tools you need to thrive outside of the program. It is with this in mind that we have included in the schedule of all Submerge members an initiative that we like to call “Go On Your Own” (which over the years has been hijacked by our team and renamed “Go Yo”). Created several years ago on one of our short term trips, Go Yo allows team members to peer into what it is like to live as a full-time missionary. When a missionary first arrives to a nation they are not given a to-do list; they must simply assess the needs they are presented with and ask themselves, “What can I do to help?” This is the essence of Go On Your Own. Team members work together for a few hours each week finding needs and together helping to meet them. Many of the activities that our team members have created during Go Yo have fostered long term programs and initiatives of Submerge.